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How do rainbows work?
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this post was submitted on 06 Jun 2024
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It works that way because as you said, it only appears at a certain angle between the sun and your view.
As you move, so does the rainbow. Because the place in the sky that matches that angle, also changes.
So it is happening everywhere the rain falls into direct sunlight. You only see it in one spot, because that's the one spot that matches the angle for you specifically.
OMG. I think I get it now.
This is why we are in the centre because that’s the right angle to see it, and it being a circle is because again we are in the centre so it spans evenly. Is that correct?
Yes, exactly
You’re my second favourite Steve now, after Scuba Steve of course.
Yes. And it's rare on cloudy days because the rainbow only works if you have a point-source of light. Clouds diffuse the light so instead you get an infinite amount of rainbows, all overlapping back into white.
I recommend you find a garden hose nozzle with a mist option. See the circle rainbow, taste the circle rainbow, hunt the double rainbow, find the rearward rainbow. go crazy.
Thanks. I am going to play with the hose. That sounds like a euphemism.
You've got the answer to the question, and I'm late to the party, but here's a helpful graphic that also shows the inner and outer color band angles.
Thank you for breaking it down to this as well, I tried to get the comment above but this helped make a bing sound in my head
And thank you for asking in the first place
No problem. I have endless questions and sometimes they make it on here.
Lies! You only say this so that you'll be the first at the pot of gold at the end of every rainbow!